Slat elevators for combines or the like

ABSTRACT

The slat elevator includes a diagonally disposed conduit open at its upper and lower ends, and having a bottom transverse wall. An upper drum carries several sprockets which drive several chains which also pass around a lower drum. Each chain carries a separate series of flexible slats made of tire carcass, and mounted with their width parallel to the path of the chain so that the slat ends curve down toward the bottom wall and are flexed away from same by the crop to avoid packing between the slat ends and the bottom wall. Each slat trails its attachment link. A plow located beneath each sprocket removes any crop which rides on the top of the chain to avoid clogging the sprocket. Dividers on the upper span maintain the spacing between the separate slat series.

22 Filedz United States Patent 1191 Mathews 1 1 SLAT ELEVATORS FORCOMBINES OR THE LIKE [76] Inventor: Bernard C. Mathews, PO. Box 70,

Crystal Lake, 111. 60014 Feb. 17, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 227,202

5/1966 Switzerland 198/174 [4 Jan. 15, 1974 Primary Examiner-Even C.Blunk Assistant ExaminerDouglas D. Watts Att0rneyZabel et a1.

[5 7 ABSTRACT The slat elevator includes a diagonally disposed conduitopen at its upper and lower ends, and having a bottom transverse wall.An upper drum carries several sprockets which drive several chains whichalso pass around a lower drum. Each chain carries a separate series offlexible slats made of tire carcass, and mounted with their widthparallel to the path of the chain so that the slat ends curve downtoward the bottom wall and are flexed away from same by the crop toavoid packing between the slat ends and the bottom wall. Each slattrails its attachment link. A plow located beneath each sprocket removesany crop which rides on the top of the chain to avoid clogging thesprocket. Dividers onthe upper span maintain the spacing between theseparate slat series.

9 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PAIENIH] JAN 1 5:914

SHEU 1 0F 2 PATENTH] JAN I 51974 SHEETZBFZ SLAT ELEVATORS FOR COMBINESOR THE LIKE This invention relates to a slatelevator for combines and toan improved slat therefor. Slat elevators are used primarily in theheader for feeding the cut crop up to the threshing cylinder, althoughthey may be used in other parts of the combine.

The present invention is of particular utility in a combine in which thecrop handling mechanism is located above the grain bins, as described inmy copending application, Ser. No. 186,053, filed Oct. 4, 1971, to whichreference is hereby made. In such an arrangement, the feeder may be aslong as 7 feet, and this introduces problems not encountered in theconventional slat conveyors provided in headers which may be of theorder of 3 feet in length. However, my invention is also of utility inthe shorter feeders.

The usual slat elevator has two or more chains passing over sprockets,pulleys, or drums and which carry a series of slats. These are locatedin a conduit. The slats are connected to chains by brackets so that eachslat is supported by two chains. The bracket is rigidly secured to alink of the chain.

Sometimes a corn cob will pass between the chain and the sprocketcausing the chain to ride up off of the sprocket and jump a tooth. Thusthe slat is slightly skewed, stressing the bracket or other parts of themechanism. In the usual construction, if two teeth are skipped, then thechain is stressed to such an extent that it may break at the linkportion of the bracket or jump the sprocket entirely.

According to my invention, I provide a plurality of chains. Each chaincarries a series of slats which are separate from the slats of adjacentchains. Thus, if any particular chain should skip a sprocket tooth, theoperation of the other chains will not be affected. The slats of theskipped tooth chain will continue to perform their elevating functionirrespective of whether they are aligned with the slats of other chains.

Jumping a chain completely off a sprocket or breaking a chain will notinvolve any otherchain in the failure. Also there is no danger offeeding heavy long cross slats into the threshing cylinder.

My invention also provides an improved slat which is oriented so that itis very flexible in a direction perpendicular to the plane in which thechains operate, and, except at the center mount of the chain, somewhatflexible in the plane in which the chains operate. In the feeding ofcorn, for example, a rapidly moving slat will engage an ear of corn withconsiderable force, and, in delivery, drive it toward the cylinder. Thecylinder traveling at a mile a minute circumferential speed may acceptthe ear or may drive it backtoward the slat. Hit at the outer end, theslat will give without damage and without transmitting twisting stressto the chain. Hit at the center, the block will be minimized by the lowslat configuration, and what shock the slat does receive will be in linewith and not damaging to the chain.

The flat flexible slats give, rather than causing the material enteringunder the chain to bounce back. Also the flexible slats comb thematerial in, pressing it down toward the feeder bottom wall and draggingit up the conduit at the same time. This feed action is improved bymounting the slat on the trailing side of the attachment link of thechain so that the slat swings out as it passes around the lower or feeddrum and then returns rapidly -to its flat position as the chainstraightens out after leaving the lower or feed drum. This action ismost effective at the upper or delivery end where the slat cams out asthe attachment'link swings up around the top drum or drive sprocket. Theaccelerationv caused by this swinging out of the slat helps to throw thematerial across any gap or rock trap between the elevator and thecylinder so as to increase the positive character of the feeding actioninto the cylinder.

This flexible slat arrangement also satisfactorily feeds grain, and theparallel orientation greatly improves the pick up of straw at theentrance, and particularly in the case of the header slat elevator wherethe entrance is behind and slightly under the transverse auger.

My invention also provides an improved plow arrangement which cleans theinside of the chain just before it engages the sprocket, in order toprevent the movement of ears into the space between the sprocket and thechain.

Other objects, features, and advantages will become apparent as thedescription proceeds.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a slat elevator embodying my invention,the section being taken through the conduit or casing in which theelevator is located, and showing the angular inclination;

FIG. 2 is a plan view along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the mounting means for one of the slats;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section taken through line 5-5 of FIG. 1 showingthe stripper and the plows, the chains, flanges, and certain otherelements being removed for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 6 is section taken along line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a front view of the plow of FIGS. 5 and 6, along line 77 ofFIG. 6, showing the end plate in elevation; and j Flg. 8 is a plan viewof a modified slat assembly.

FIG. 1 shows a conduit 10 in'which the slat elevator 16 is disposed. Theshape and type of the conduit depends on the location and environment ofthe conveyor device; the conduit 10 is shown only by way of example. Itincludes upper and lower transverse walls 11 and 12, and side walls 13.It has an open lower end 14, for receiving the crop material to beconveyed, and an open upper end 15 for delivery of the crop. Forexample, a conveyor could extend between a header and the threshingcylinder of a combine where the threshing cylinder is located at theupper front end of the casing, as shown in my copending application Ser.No. 186,053, filed Oct. 4, 1971.

The slat elevator 16, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, comprises a pluralityof roller chains 20 extending between a lower drum 21 and an upper drumor tubular sprocket shaft 22 suitably journalled in the side walls 13 ofthe feeder conduit 10. The upper drum 22 has a sprocket 23 for each ofthe chains. The lower drum 2] has a wear plate 24 for each chain in theform of a tubular piece secured to the drum, on which the chain bears asit passes around the drum.

Each chain carries a series of parallel oriented flexible slats 25,preferably made of tire carcass which has a natural curvature, andmounted with the curvature of the slat such that the ends of the slat orflight extend downwardly toward the bottom wall 12 at the lower span ofthe chain.

This relationship of the slat curvature to the chain, which can betermed outwardly concave" increases the effective reach of the flightwithout increasing the frontal area. In the case of very pliable stock,the weight of the ends of the slat may cause it to scrape the bottomwall 12, at the lower span, and it flattens out at the upper span.

The means for mounting a slat 25 on a chain is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.At suitable intervals, such as at every sixth link, is an attachmentlink 30. An attach ment link is a pin link in which each of the outsideplates 31 has an outwardly directed flange 32. A plate 33 is secured tothe flanges 31 by suitable rivets 34. The plate 33 has bolt or rivetholes 35 therein. Then the slat is secured to the plate 33 by bolts orrivets 36.

The plate 33 also has a hole 37 in it which overlies the center of thelink 30. If any material, such as a piece of cob, should be forced by asprocket tooth into the attachment link 30, the hole 37 and an overlyingnotched portion 38 in the slat 25 prevent a jamming which mightotherwise cause the chain to jump a tooth.

As is usual in slat elevators for handling cut crop, the elevatorextends diagonally upwardly and rearwardly, and the upwardly moving spanis the lower span. The crop is engaged by the slats 25 and slides on thelower transverse wall 12 of the conduit 10. Where the lower wallterminates, the crop is ejected with considerable momentum through theopen upper end 15.

The plate 33 and the slat 25 are oriented in a plane parallel to thelower wall 12 of the conduit making the slat considerably more flexiblein a direction away from the wall 12 than in the direction of motion. Asa result, where there is an accumulation of crop on the wall 12 which isthicker than the spacing between the slat 25 and the wall 12, the slatwill flex with its outer ends riding up over the crop, rather thancausing the crop to pack between a rigid slat and the wall 12.

Any substantial resistance to the slat movement is limited to the areaimmediately beneath the attachment link with the result that twistingand bending forces on the chain are greatly reduced.

The slat 25 is preferably offset in the trailing direction from theattaching link so that the transverse median line of the slat is locatedrearwardly of the transverse midpoint of the attachment link 31, which,in the example shown, is beneath the center of the hole 37. Thus, whenthe slat passes around the upper drum 22, a point on the slat 25 whichis immediately above the transverse midpoint of the link will have thesame spacing as when the slat passes along the lower span, but the reartrailing edge of the slat will swing outwardly away from the chain,providing a greater radius between the trailing edge and the axis of thedrum 22 as shown in FIG. 1. Therefore the linear speedof the reartrailing edge will be somewhat greater than the speed of the centerpoint of the slat. This plus the resilience of the slat provides acertain kicking action which is of utility in throwing the crop materialoutwardly through the opening 15. v

This action may be accentuated by a comparison of the notched slat 25shown in FIG. 2, with the slat 25' of FIG. 8, by increasing the offsetin the trailing direction. For example, the slat 25' may be mounted onthe plate 33 so that its leading edge is definitely offset from themidpoint of the link 32, as represented by the center of the hole 37,the offset of the trailing edge being correspondingly increased 'in thetrailing direction.

Preferably, the leading edge clears the opening 37 so as to avoidnotching, as shown in FIG. 8.

Where the elevator is 6 or 7 feet long, a backing plate 40 is locatedbeneath the upper or slack span. Means are provided to maintain thechain spacing as it moves around the lower drum 21, such meanspreferably being in the form of dividers 41 mounted on the upper surfaceof the backing plate 40. Thus, as the slack span moves onto the wearplate 24 of the lower drum 21, it will be in the proper aligned positionmatching the spacing of the sprockets 23 on the upper drum 22. The lowerspan is tensioned by the weight of the crop as it is dragged up the wall12.

On relatively short spans, such as are encountered in the header inwhich the distance from the platform up to the header mount is onlyabout 3 feet, the dividers 41 are not necessary.

Conventional means, not shown, are provided for driving the upper drum22. The lower drum is an idler, driven by its contact with the chains.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, means are provided to prevent material, suchas an ear of corn, or a piece of corn stalk, from passing between achain 20 and its sprocket 23, which might cause the chain to jump atooth. Such means are in the form of a triangular element 42 referred toherein as a plow located beneath the upper drum and adjacent theupwardly moving span of the chain.

The plows 42 are mounted on an angle iron 43 located along the centerline of a slat elevator adjacent the surface of the upper drum 22. Theplow 42 comprises a pair of plates 44 and 45 arranged in a V with theapex of the V being presented toward any material being carried upwardlyon the inside of the chain 20. The outer ends of plates 44 and 45 areclosed by a triangular plate 46 which has its surface closely adjacentthe chain 20.

The angle iron 43 may be rigidly secured to the side walls 13 of theconduit 10.

However, in the case of a long feeder where the upper drum 22 isadjustably mounted in tightener plates 47 which carry the drum bearings48, then the angle iron 43 is also mounted in the tightener plates 47 sothat the relationship of the angle iron 43 and plows 42 to the upperdrum 22 will remain the same irrespective of chain tighteningadjustments.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the tightener plates 47 are each supported attheir upper rear ends by a screw adjustment device 49 and are eachguided at their lower ends by a pin 50 passing through a collar 51 onplates 47 and a slot in the side plates 13. The inner end of each pin iswelded to the angle iron 43 so that the latter can be supported from thetightener plates 47.

A strip 52 extends downwardly from the angle iron 43 and between twolocating pins 53 in the side walls 13 which maintain the angle iron 43and plows 42 in the proper angular position, but still permit movementof the assembly 47, 22, 43, 42, with respect to the side walls 13.

The edge 54 of angle iron 43 can-be located close to the periphery ofthe upper drum 22 to serve as a stripper to srip any leaves or stemsthat may adhere to the drum surface, thus avoiding wrap around. The edge54 is notched at 55 to accommodate the sprocket 23.

In operation, any material which may be riding on the wrong side of thechain is displaced to one side or the other by the plow plates 44 and 45so that it drops down on the lower wall 1210 be picked up by the slats25.

At the same time, the side plates of the chain links may ride on thetriangular face plate 46 in those cases where the mass of crop materialbeing dragged up the I wall 12 causes the mid-part of the lower span tobow upwardly away from the bottom wall. Thus the face plate 46 forcesthe chain down toward the normal chain path, the spacing between thesurface of face plate 46 and normal path of the. inner edges of thelinks being from three-sixteenths to one-quarter inch.

Although only preferred embodiments of my invention have been shown andillustrated herein, it will be understood that various modifications andchanges can be made in the constructions shown without departing fromthe spirit of my invention, as pointed out in the appended claims.

1 claim:

l. A slat elevator for a combine or the like comprising a conduit havingtransverse walls and side walls, an upper drum and a lower drum mountedfor rotation about parallel transverse axes at the opposite ends of saidconduit, said upper drum including a plurality of sprockets mountedthereon in axially spaced relationship, a plurality of chains extendingaround and between said drums, each chain engaging one of the sprocketsof the upper drum and being driven thereby, a series of slats carried byeach of said chains, the slats of each series being supported by asingle chain, a cross member extending between said side walls at apoint adjacent said'upper drum, said conduit extending diagonally upwardwith the downwardly moving span above the upwardly moving span, one'ofsaid transverse walls being located beneath said upwardly moving span, aplurality of plow members mounted on said cross member, one beneath eachof said sprockets and having a face plate located adjacent said upwardlymoving span for removing material from the upper surface of said chain,tightener plates mounted externally of said side walls at the upper endof said conduit, said upper drum being journalled in said tightenerplates, and mounting means on said tightener plates extending inwardlyfrom said tightener plates and through said side walls, said crossmember being mounted on said mounting means.

2. A slat elevator for a combine or the like comprising a conduit havingtransverse walls and side walls, an upper drum and a lower drum-mountedfor rotation about parallel transverse axes atthe opposite ends of saidconduit, said upper drum including a sprocket mounted thereon, a chainextending around and between said drums and engaging said sprocket andbeing driven thereby, a series of transverse slats carried by saidchain, said slats each comprising a strip of nonmetallic resilientmaterial having a substantially rectangular cross section with thelonger cross sectional dimension of said slat being oriented parallel tothe path of said chain, said chain including an attachment link havingoutwardly extending flanges, and a plate secured to said flanges withits plane being parallel to the path of said chain, one of said slatsbeing secured to said plate, said plate having an opening thereinlocated at the midpoint of said attachment link so as to be above atooth of said sprocket, and said slat having a cut-away por tion locatedabove said opening so that material entrapped between a sprocket toothand said attachment link may be forced through said opening.

3. A slat elevator for a combine or the like comprising a conduit havingtransverse walls and side walls, an upper drum and a lower drum mountedfor rotation about parallel transverse axes at the opposite ends of saidconduit, said upper drum including a sprocket mounted thereon, a chainextending around and between said drums and engaging said sprocket andbeing driven thereby, a series of transverse slats carried by saidchain, said slats each comprising a strip of nonmetallic resilientmaterial having a substantially rectangular cross section with thelonger cross sectional dimension of said slat being oriented parallel tothe path of said chain, said chain including an attachment link havingoutwardly extending flanges, and a plate secured to said flanges withits plane being parallel to the path of said chain, one of said slatsbeing secured to said plate, said plate having an opening thereinlocated at the midpoint of said attachment link so as to be above atooth of said sprocket, and said slat having its leading edge offset inthe trailing direction from said opening so that material entrappedbetween a sprocket tooth and said attachment link may be forced throughsaid opening.

4. A slat elevator for feeding cut crop to the threshing cylinder of acombine or the like comprising a conduit having transverse walls andside walls, an upper drum and a lower drum mounted for rotation aboutparallel transverse axes at the opposite ends of said conduit, saidupper drum including 'a plurality of sprockets mounted thereon inaxially spaced relationship, a plurality of chains extending around andbetween said drums, each chain engaging one of the sprockets of theupper drum and being driven thereby, and a series of slats carried byeach of said chains, the slats of each series being supported by asingle chain, said lower drum providing a circumferentially smoothcylindrical surface portion for cooperation with each of said chains soas to permit longitudinal displacement of one chain and its series ofslats with respect to other chains and their series of slats, when atooth is skipped at the sprocket associated with the upper end of saidone chain, slat mounting means connecting the mid-point of each slat toits associated chain, the ends of each slat being unconfined for flexingmovement, said slats each comprising a strip of nonmetallic resilientmaterial having a substantially rectangular cross section with the widthdimension being substantially greater than the thickness dimension andbeing oriented with the width dimension substantially parallel to thepath of the chain on which said slat is mounted so that the ends of eachslat may flex in a direction toward'and away from said transverse walls,said slat ends being less flexible in the direction parallel to saidchain path.

5. A slat elevator as claimed in claim 4 in which said conduit extendsdiagonally upward with the downward moving span above the upwardlymoving span, a backing plate for said downwardly moving span, aplurality of dividers extending upwardly from said backing plate,

the ends of the slats of each series normally being in a non-interferingrelationship with the slats of an adjacent series, one divider beinglocated'between each two adjacent slat series and being of a dimensionsuch that each divider overlaps at least a portion of the ends of theslats of said two adjacent slat series, said dividers cooperating withsaid slats to maintain between said chains as they pass over said lowerdrum a transverse spacing substantially equal to said sprocket spacing.

each of said sprockets for removing material from the upper surface ofsaid chain and having a face plate located adjacent said upwardly movingspan providing a bearing surface for said chain.

8. A slat elevator as claimed in claim 4 in which said slat has anatural curvature and is mounted on said chain with the curvatureoutwardly concave.

9. A slat elevator as claimed in claim 8 in which said nonmetallicresilient material is tire carcass.

1. A slat elevator for a combine or the like comprising a conduit havingtransverSe walls and side walls, an upper drum and a lower drum mountedfor rotation about parallel transverse axes at the opposite ends of saidconduit, said upper drum including a plurality of sprockets mountedthereon in axially spaced relationship, a plurality of chains extendingaround and between said drums, each chain engaging one of the sprocketsof the upper drum and being driven thereby, a series of slats carried byeach of said chains, the slats of each series being supported by asingle chain, a cross member extending between said side walls at apoint adjacent said upper drum, said conduit extending diagonally upwardwith the downwardly moving span above the upwardly moving span, one ofsaid transverse walls being located beneath said upwardly moving span, aplurality of plow members mounted on said cross member, one beneath eachof said sprockets and having a face plate located adjacent said upwardlymoving span for removing material from the upper surface of said chain,tightener plates mounted externally of said side walls at the upper endof said conduit, said upper drum being journalled in said tightenerplates, and mounting means on said tightener plates extending inwardlyfrom said tightener plates and through said side walls, said crossmember being mounted on said mounting means.
 2. A slat elevator for acombine or the like comprising a conduit having transverse walls andside walls, an upper drum and a lower drum mounted for rotation aboutparallel transverse axes at the opposite ends of said conduit, saidupper drum including a sprocket mounted thereon, a chain extendingaround and between said drums and engaging said sprocket and beingdriven thereby, a series of transverse slats carried by said chain, saidslats each comprising a strip of nonmetallic resilient material having asubstantially rectangular cross section with the longer cross sectionaldimension of said slat being oriented parallel to the path of saidchain, said chain including an attachment link having outwardlyextending flanges, and a plate secured to said flanges with its planebeing parallel to the path of said chain, one of said slats beingsecured to said plate, said plate having an opening therein located atthe midpoint of said attachment link so as to be above a tooth of saidsprocket, and said slat having a cut-away portion located above saidopening so that material entrapped between a sprocket tooth and saidattachment link may be forced through said opening.
 3. A slat elevatorfor a combine or the like comprising a conduit having transverse wallsand side walls, an upper drum and a lower drum mounted for rotationabout parallel transverse axes at the opposite ends of said conduit,said upper drum including a sprocket mounted thereon, a chain extendingaround and between said drums and engaging said sprocket and beingdriven thereby, a series of transverse slats carried by said chain, saidslats each comprising a strip of nonmetallic resilient material having asubstantially rectangular cross section with the longer cross sectionaldimension of said slat being oriented parallel to the path of saidchain, said chain including an attachment link having outwardlyextending flanges, and a plate secured to said flanges with its planebeing parallel to the path of said chain, one of said slats beingsecured to said plate, said plate having an opening therein located atthe midpoint of said attachment link so as to be above a tooth of saidsprocket, and said slat having its leading edge offset in the trailingdirection from said opening so that material entrapped between asprocket tooth and said attachment link may be forced through saidopening.
 4. A slat elevator for feeding cut crop to the threshingcylinder of a combine or the like comprising a conduit having transversewalls and side walls, an upper drum and a lower drum mounted forrotation about parallel transverse axes at the opposite ends of saidconduit, said upper drum including a plurality of sprockets mountedthereon in aXially spaced relationship, a plurality of chains extendingaround and between said drums, each chain engaging one of the sprocketsof the upper drum and being driven thereby, and a series of slatscarried by each of said chains, the slats of each series being supportedby a single chain, said lower drum providing a circumferentially smoothcylindrical surface portion for cooperation with each of said chains soas to permit longitudinal displacement of one chain and its series ofslats with respect to other chains and their series of slats, when atooth is skipped at the sprocket associated with the upper end of saidone chain, slat mounting means connecting the mid-point of each slat toits associated chain, the ends of each slat being unconfined for flexingmovement, said slats each comprising a strip of nonmetallic resilientmaterial having a substantially rectangular cross section with the widthdimension being substantially greater than the thickness dimension andbeing oriented with the width dimension substantially parallel to thepath of the chain on which said slat is mounted so that the ends of eachslat may flex in a direction toward and away from said transverse walls,said slat ends being less flexible in the direction parallel to saidchain path.
 5. A slat elevator as claimed in claim 4 in which saidconduit extends diagonally upward with the downward moving span abovethe upwardly moving span, a backing plate for said downwardly movingspan, a plurality of dividers extending upwardly from said backingplate, the ends of the slats of each series normally being in anon-interfering relationship with the slats of an adjacent series, onedivider being located between each two adjacent slat series and being ofa dimension such that each divider overlaps at least a portion of theends of the slats of said two adjacent slat series, said dividerscooperating with said slats to maintain between said chains as they passover said lower drum a transverse spacing substantially equal to saidsprocket spacing.
 6. A slat elevator as claimed in claim 4 in which saidlower drum is provided with tubular wear plates engaged by said chains.7. A slat elevator as claimed in claim 4 which includes a cross memberextending between said side walls at a point adjacent said upper drum,said conduit extending diagonally upward with the downwardly moving spanabove the upwardly moving span, one of said transverse walls beinglocated beneath said upwardly moving span, and a plurality of V-shapedplow members mounted on said cross member, one beneath each of saidsprockets for removing material from the upper surface of said chain andhaving a face plate located adjacent said upwardly moving span providinga bearing surface for said chain.
 8. A slat elevator as claimed in claim4 in which said slat has a natural curvature and is mounted on saidchain with the curvature outwardly concave.
 9. A slat elevator asclaimed in claim 8 in which said nonmetallic resilient material is tirecarcass.